Method and apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores



IN VEN TOR. Karl Ka ai;

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY m,

K. KAUTZ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SMELTING HYDROGEN-REDUCIBLE ORES June 22, 1954 Filed Dec u ATTORNEYS K. KAUTZ June 22, 1954 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SMELTING HYDROGEN-REDUCIBLE ORES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Deo. ll 1951 LgINVENTOR. Karl Kauf/g BY a ATTORNEY;

,6e @Im mmmmmmmmm Patented June 22,1954

UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE 'METHOD AND APPARATUS" FOR' SMELTING HYDEOGEN-REDUCIBLE DRES .22 Claims.

The invention relates generally to a pressure melting furnace operating in conjunction with a tower for pretreating the charge onits way to the furnace, and to the method of operating the apparatus for smelting or reducing ores which are'reducible by hydrogen, preferably iron ores.

The smelting or reducing of iron ores in a blast furnace results in pig iron containing impurities reduced from all the raw materials charged into the furnace, due to the treatment of ore, coke and limestone at very high temperatures. In order to minimize the percentage of impurities in the iron 'by forming a slag for carrying off impurities, much coke and limestone are required to form and melt the slag, thus decreasing the efliciency and increasing the cost of the operation.

Notwithstanding the Ahigh cost of the blast furnace operation, the product is nothing Amore relined than pig iron, which must be refined as by puddling tomake a useful iron product, or in the Bessemer, Iopen hearth, or electric furnace to make steel.

I-am awarethatU. S. Patent 1,603,710, issued October 19, 1926 to Charles E. Parsons et al., discloses aprocess of producing pure iron from its ore by treating the ore with a stream -cf reducing gasat temperatures of 1500" F. to 1800"17'. This processrequires the ore iirst to .be thoroughly dried and passed through rolls to size evenly'the particles, andzthe'ore to be'separated from its impurities in the form of gangue material either before reduction; oraeffterV reduction lbya magnetic separation requiring cooling-below 1409" F. The reduced separated iron is 'in the formof al line powder which must-then be melted in a suitable electric melting furnace withoutV any Contact with carbonacecus materials, which `furtheiadds to the ccst `of the process. The molten product is pure iron so that still furtherprocessingis necessary to produce steel.

It is an object of the' present invention to provide a novel. apparatus for continuously'reducing ores containing oxygencr sulfur orbOth, to produce molten metal ofhigh purity.

Another object is to provide an improved procfor eccncmically producing molten metal directly from an oxygen-bearing Vor sulfur-bearing ore` A more specic Objectis to provide a'novel methodand apparatus for producing molten iron or steel, as desired, directly from iron ore.

Another Objectis to provide a novel pressure melting furnace adapted for partially burning at high-pressures -a hydrogen-rich fuel gas with insufficient oxygen to create-a nen-oxidizing atmosphere which is conducted from the furnace and cooled Yand enriched and then passed upwardly through a` pretreating tower containing ore and limestone which is charged hot from the bottom of the tower directly into the furnace.

A further object is to provide a novel method of utilizing the partially burned gases from a pressure melting furnace to reduce ore and to decarbonate limestone which is then charged directly without cooling into the melting furnace to produce molten metal of high purity.

Another object is to provide a novel apparatus having a pressure melting furnace and a reducing tower communicating therewith, with means for charging reduced materials fromthe bottom of the tower into the furnace, and means for conducting partially burned gases from the furnace to the bottom of the tower for treating the materials therein.

A further object is to provide a novel method of cooling and enriching the partially'burned gases from a pressure vmelting furnace in two stages by endothermic reactions and by dilution with reducing gases to produce reducing gases-at proper temperatures for pretreating ores tobe charged into the furnace.

A still further object is to provide a method of continuously charging a melting furnace by feeding hot reduced ore and decarbonated limestone at controlled temperatures from a reducing chamber directly into said furnace.

These and other objects are accomplished by the methods, apparatus, parts, improvements,

:combinations and arrangements comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the apparatus being shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, and preferred embodiments ofv the novel method and apparatus being described in the accompanying specification, the nature of the invention being set forth in the following statement, and the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

In general-terms, the invention may be stated as including a reducing tower communicating at its bottom end with a pressure melting furnace, with means for charging materials from the bottom of the tower into the furnace, there being passageways connecting the upper part of the furnace with tuyres in the lower part of the tower, whereby partially burned gases from the furnace are conducted into: the tower for passing upwardly therethrough and contacting with raw materials descending through the tower, the furnace being adapted for partially burning at high temperatures a hydrogen-rich fuel gas with insuicient'oxygen for completecombustion so as to create a non-oxidizing atmosphere from which the partially `burned gases will rbe conducted to the tuyres in the tower, said gases being cooled and enriched in two stages by endothermic reactions and by dilution with reducing gases to produce a stream of reducing gases flowing upwardly through the material in the tower at temperatures from 1500 F. to 1800 F. for reducing the raw materials in the tower without adding carbonaceous material, part of the partially spent gases being mixed with air to roast the raw materials as they enter the tower.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof, in which a preferred embodiment of the novel apparatus is shown by way of example:

Figure 1 is a plan sectional View of the novel apparatus substantially on line I-I, Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the melting furnace taken substantially on line 4 4, Fie. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the roof portion of the furnace shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lower part of the roof portion of the melting furnace;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of the tower taken at the level of the supporting bars immediately above the feeding screw;

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section longitudinally through the burner in the wall of the melting furnace; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse section of the inner burner tube.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the drawings.

The apparatus shown by way of example in the drawings includes a melting furnace indicated generally at I0 which is connected to laterally adjacent vertical towers or shaft kilns one of which is indicated generally at II. The melting furnace l0 is preferably rectangular or square as shown in Fig. 1, having the vertical tower I at one side thereof and another vertical tower on the opposite side which is identical to the tower II and is therefore not shown in the drawings in order to conserve space. The tower opposite to the tower II is connected to and communi.- cates with the melting furnace in the same manner as the tower II.

The melting furnace I0 operates under pressure and is accordingly completely encased in steel by the side plates I2 and the top plate I3. rlhe side walls within the steel casing are preferably refractory material, and preferably consist of two courses of refractory brick indicated at I3 with an inner replaceable course of a refractory capable of withstanding high temperatures, strongly reducing atmosphere of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and molten metal and basic slag action. The inner course is indicated at I4 and may be composed of clay-carbon, claygraphite, silicon carbide, alumina, or similar re fractories and mixtures thereof.

The hearth l5 of the furnace ID is rectangular in shape as outlined by the side walls of the furnace, and is recessed on top to form a substantially arcuate or semi-spherical basin, as indi cated in Figs. 3 and 4. lThe hearth may be made of carbon, graphite, alumina or stabilized calcia adjusted with enough clay or slag to make the urface somewhat plastic at operating tempera ures.

parts The roof of the furnace consists of abutting rows of specially shaped silicon carbide blocks I6, each row being suspended from an -beam steel member indicated generally at I1. As best shown in Fig. 5, these I-beam members I1 are hollow and preferably made of two channels I8 held in spaced back-to-back relation by upper and lower plates I6 welded to the channel anges. The ends of the beams I1 are supported on the top of the refractory walls I3, I4 of the furnace, as shown in Fig. 3, and a cooling medium may be circulated through the hollow beams by suitable pipes indicated at 23 and 2|. As best shown in Fig. 6, the roof blocks I6 have keys 22 depending from their bottom faces and a clay-graphite or clay-carbon depending from their bottom faces and a clay-graphite or clay-carbon facing 23 is slidably keyed to each block in such manner as to provide air insulating spaces 24 and 25 between the facings and the blocks. The facing inserts 23 bear the greater part of the corrosion caused by the heat and the gases within the furnace, and are made easily replaceable so that they can be removed or replaced when they become worn.

The silicon carbide blocks I6 with the clay car' bon facings have high resistance to high temperatures and to hydrogen, H2O gas and carbon monoxide, as well as high mechanical strength and high thermal shock resistance. By suspending the rows of abutting blocks I5 on the cooled channels one row of blocks can be removed from the furnace while hot and replaced by a cold row of new blocks without shutting down the furnace, because of the high thermal shock resistance of the blocks.

The upper parts of the I-beams I1 are contained within a chamber formed by the side wall plates I2 and the top plate I3, and as shown in Fig. 5 the top plate preferably includes removable metal strips 21 registering with the rows of blocks I6, each metal strip 21 being reinforced by a T-bar 28 on its top surface. By removing a top strip 21, the row of roof blocks I6 immediately below and their supporting beam I 1 may be lifted out for replacement without removing the entire top plate. The joints between adjacent strips 21 are made gas-tight by means of overlapping steel strips 29 attached to adjacent strips 21 by bolts 30 with gaskets 3| under the strips 29.

The upper chamber C may be kept lled with cold nitrogen, or other non-oxidizing gas introduced through a pipe indicated at 32 in Fig. 4, and the pressure of the cold gas may be adjusted to be slightly greater than the inside furnace pressure so that a slight seepage of cold gas enters the furnace between the rows of blocks I5 and mixes with the furnace gases.

The furnace ID is fired preferably by two opposite downwardly inclined burners indicated generally at 34 staggered with respect to each other. Thus the burner flames impinge upon the material resting on the hearth and will travel in a relatively long helical path within the furnace chamber. As best shown in Fig. 9, each burner 34 includes a refractory tube 35 embedded in the side wall I3, I4 of the furnace and inclined downwardly at the proper angle. A tubular closure cap 36 with a removable closure plate 31 is welded to the outer steel casing I2 of the furnace over the end of the refractory tube 35, so that by removing the closure plate 31 the refractory tube 35 may be removed and replaced when desired.

The burner pipe 38 is centered within the tube 35 by means of spacer lugs 39 on the underside accises of? thepipe, anda steel spacer block lll; betweenV the-upper end of the pipe-and the tube 36. The

upper end of the burnerr pipe iscl'osed and hasa sideuinletdll on which: is screwed aA pipe nipple 42: which extends `through a-.hol'e in the outer` tube 36 forA connection; with an oxygen supply.. The

burner pipe 38 is' preferably made ofi zirconia,

alumina, or silicon carbide and its lower portionY provided with a; plurality of. small tangential per'- forations indicated. atg'". As shownin Fig. L, the.

outer tube es ofthe burner-has connectedatone side thereof a pipe' 41 for. supplying fuel. gas tov downwardly inclined direction'. and terminate: atY

the topof the hearth surface` l5. There are pref@ era-bly two pairs of bubbler tubes, one pair on each of two opposite sides of the. furnace. As shown one bubbler tube: of Veach pair is located below each burner 34, the other bubbler tube being located opposite the otherburner 34. These bubbler tubes preferably-have-an inside. core 46. of: silicon carbide 2 in diameter, and; each core is madeup of sections having a pluralityof longitudinal holes therethrough, the sections being cemented together end to end with thel holes inv alignment. The core sections are cemented within outer casing sections 4-1.' preferably ofrclay-` graphite composition'. The portionsv of the. bubbler tubes extending outside ofthe.` furnace are supported in tubular casing sectionsV fill welded, to the furnace casing l2.

Thebubbler tubes 45 are used for admitting small amounts of air, oxygen or reducing: gases; into the melt on thehearthpand, asthe. tubes/,are-

dissclved or corroded by theslaggormelt newfsece tions are cemented to their outer endsa-nd; the tubes; lowered into the melt. llhe silicon.carbide.`

and graphite material of the tubes provide. high thermal shock. resistance, and; the-.tubes can .be

withdrawn: from the furnace and; replaced withiout danger'of cracking and spelling. If desired,

the downwardly inclined holes for containingthe bubbler tubcsmay lne-used' tointroduce: electrodes;

or pyrometersinto the melt.

On one-side of the furnace, the hearth isproV videdv with a metal tap holegand slag hole: 5l

communicating with the usual pouringrspouts one of which is indicated at 52 inFig. l. Oppositethe. tap holes a door opening 53- is provided through the furnace wall for making repairs to, the furnace either by entering the furnace or blowing suitable patching material over theheaith.. This door is normally closed by refractory' blocks.y 5A

and 55, the inner block fbeing preferably of. the;

At the. hearth level of the furnace, charging' tunnels 58 communicate-with the furnace chain`L ber at opposite sides of the hearthgandf extend laterally therefrom at right angles tothe` burners 34 and communicate with the bottoms. of the towers Il.

The tunnelsY 58 are` circular incross' section andare preferablyA formed by refractory' circle blocks whichy rest on the foundation 5,9 of' theltowers. The tunnels arelined throughout the greater part of their lengths with tubular steel casings. 66 in which are rotatably mountedhelical` feed screws 6I for charging materia-ls from the bottoms of the towers into the melting. furnace I0, the upperparts of the liners-G'being; cut away Within the towers as indicated atf".

Flue passageways 52. communicate with oppo.- site sides of the furnace It immediately above-and parallel with the charging tunnels 58, and be-r tween the melting furnace and the towers, theflue passages 62 are preferably provided.' with baille walls 63 for deiiecting and elongatingtlie: flow of gases therethrough, to produce :better mixing of the gases. On the tower sidev off each baille 63 the ilue 62 opens into a cylindrical plenum chamber lill` within the walls of the lower portion of the tower l I. As shown in Figs; 1 and. 8 the tunnel t2 is connected to the cylindrical plenum chamber Gil' by an upwardly flared arcuatev opening $5. staggered courses of radially" extending stay blocks s6 preferably extendacross the opening t5 andthe cylindrical plenum chameber 64.

The cylindrical plenum chamber til commun-i'- cates with the lower vportion of the tower chamber" through a plurality of vertically spaced annular rows of tuyre openings '6l extending through the inner cylindric wall of the tower. The tuyre openings are preferably rectangular and enter. into the tower chamber inV a downwardly'inclined direction at an angleof approximately Each tuyre opening may be formed in a replaceable' circle block t8 of siliconcarbide or kaolin and the blocks are laidin courses'around the-tower. The upper ends of the tuyere openings'! communicate withhorizontal ports Es which at their outer-ends'. open into the cylindricalv plenum chamber 64.

The tower is preferably cylindrical as shown in. Fig. 1 with a relatively large inner chamber of substantial height so as to handle small lumps of ore and limestone with adequate interstitial space between the lumps for the upward movement of gases. By having the tuyreopenings inclined downwardly, clogging of broken pieces and dust in the tuyre openings is avoided. The tower wall le is preferably refractory materiall such as fire brick, resting on the refractory concrete foundation 59 which abuts the refractory walls I3 of the melting furnace Isl. Above theplenum chamber lili is an inwardly taperedsection ll of nre brick encased in. refractory concrete l2. This-tapered section and the plenum chamber walls below preferably are contained. in a steel casingr i3 reinforced` by drawbands indicated at lil.

As shown in Fig. 2, the bottom portion of the tower chamber below the bottom row of tuyre openings Si' sloped downwardly from Opposite sides to the cnt away portion til' of the feedserew tunnel. These sloped portions l5 may be at an' angle of about 50 and may eonsistof kaocast mixedv with graphite. Between the sloped p0rtions and the tunnel opening` fel, a plurality of staggered supporting bars ll are driventhrough the furnace walls from opposite' sides, their cuter ends projecting beyond the furnace; The. supporting bars on one side, are alternately arranged with respect tothe bars on the other side, and are spaced so that when the bars: are forced' inwardly .they will; interlace and form, a closure over. the;tunnelopeningv 6D', asbest shown in.Fig..7; Thusthe bars will form aA closure sup- 7 porting the raw materials in the tower while the feed screw is removed and replaced.

The feed screw Si may be hollow and may have a hollow shaft TI projecting outside of the tower with a pipe 'I3 connected thereto for supplying cooling gas which emerges from the inner end of the shaft into the tunnel 58. The outer end of the shaft T preferably has a sprocket 30 thereon which may be driven by a chain drive from any suitable power source.

Preferably the end of the shaft is journal-led in a thrust bar Si which may be supported on suitable brackets 32 embedded in the tower foundation 59. Between the sprocket 8i) and the tower wall, the screw feed casing 83 communicates with a feed pipe 8d connected at its top end to a drum Valve screw feed S fed by a hopper 85. This permits the addition of solid materials to the mate ials charged from the tower, and may be used for adding special metals, alloys and the like.

The cylindrical tower wall 8S projects upwardly above the tapered section 'il and is preferably enclosed in a steel casing 33. At a substantial distance above the tapered section 'i the 'tower wall t is provided with series o vertically spaced rows of tuyre blocks similar to the tuyre blocks 68, and the downwardly inclined openings in the tuyre bloei/rs t communicate with a series of radial passageways 9o in the furnace walls. The lower passageways @il are connected to vertical manifold pipes el which are connected to a large bustle pipe Si encircling the furnace, and the bustle pipe has a laterally extending pipe t3 for carrying off partiallyspent gases from that portion of the tower. The upper passageways 9@ are connected by vertical manifold pipes @fi to a bustle pipe encircling the tower, and a lateral pipe SiS connects with the bustle pipe S5. Air for combustion may be supplied through the pipe s6 and the tuyres connected thereto, for a purpose to be described. As shown in Fig. 3, the manifolds 9i and the bustle pipe 92 may be enclosed in an annular tank Sl for containing cooling water.

In operating the novel apparatus according to the method of my invention, lumps or briquettes of rich iron ores are preferably coated with refractory material and charged into the top of the towers El with lumps of limestone. The I lumps of ore maybe roximately 2" in size and may be coated by dipping them in a thick slurry of refractory material. This refractory coating prevents the lumps of rich ore from coagulating or sticking together as they are heated and reduced in the tower. The slurry may be made from powdered limestone, powdered silica, plastic clay or powdered slag. The limestone lumps should be about 2" in size and the amount of limestone charged should be sufficient to properly ux the gangue carried by the iron ore. Lumps of lean ore do not need refractory coatings, because a greater amount of smaller-sized limestone lumps can be used so as to completely surround each ore lump to prevent sticking.

' As an example of the amount of limestone needed to flux the gangue in a particular ore, Where Lahe Superior iron ore of about 51.5% Fe is charged into the towers H, the amount of limestone required is about one-half as much as ore by volume, or about one-fourth as much by weight.

As the ore and limestone lumps descend in the tower they are first roasted and decarbonated by introducing air through the upper tuyres 68 to burn part of the partially spent gases, and then reduced by gases entering through the tuyre openings 6'! at the bottom of the tower, and the hot lumps of reduced ore and burnt limestone are fed by the feed screws 6I through the `charging tunnels 58 onto the hearth i5 of the melting furnace. In the melting furnace, the atmosphere is non-oxidizing to Fe, and is carefully controlled by introducing fuel gas through the burners 34 with insuiiicient oxygen for complete combustion, so that the fuel gases are only partially burned in the melting furnace.

The fuel gas introduced through the burners 34 is a hydrogen-rich fuel gas such as oil gas, or coal gas, or methane-rich natural gas, and the proportion of oxygen introduced through the burners is carefully regulated so that the products of combustion consist of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and hydrogen-oxide, the hydrogen content (by volume) being approximately one and one-half times the hydrogen-oxide content and the temperature of the gases within the furnace being approximately 3400 F. At this temperature in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, molten metal of high purity will be produced because the iron can be melted without oxidation and such non-reducible impurities that have not been removed in the roasting and reducing towers Il will be carried off in the slag which is formed on top of the molten metal. amount of carbon in the melt, either iron or steel of high purity may be produced.

Since the furnace lll is pressure-sealed, the partially burned gases from the furnace will be forced out through the nues 62 to the towers I l. As these gases pass into the flues they are cooled by introducing additional hydrocarbon-containing fuel gas through pipes 98 extending through' the furnace walls into the entrance of the ues. This additional hydrocarbon-containing fuel gas causes two endothermic reactions to take place: 1) The hydrocarbon gas thermally decomposes yielding carbon and hydrogen and. absorbing heat, and (2) 'the finely divided extremely hot nascent carbon reacts with part of the hydrogenoxide in the combustion gases to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This last reaction is known as the water gas reaction and also absorbs heat.

Thus by the addition of fuel gas, the combustion gases are rapidly cooled by dilution and by endothermic reactions, the detrimental H2O content is lowered and is replaced by an equivalent amount of CO, and a gain in hydrogen content is accomplished by thermal decomposition and by the Water gas reaction. The amount of fuel gas added at this point, however, must be controlled so that the combustion gases are cooled only to temperatures of 240o2500 F., because the water gas reaction becomes incomplete and sluggish below these temperatures, and while thermal cracking of some hydrocarbons is still effective at 2l00 F. and lower, carbon black would result because of the slowing up of the water gas reaction. Thus, if it were attempted to cool much below 2400 F. by the addition of fuel gas; carbon black, carbon dioxide and undecomposed hydrocarbon gases would be present in the gases entering the towers from the flues 62. This would result in the formation of iron carbide which would destroy the purity of the iron product.

Accordingly, cooling of the combustion gases from about 24:00D F. to 1800 F., or the operating temperature between l500 F. and 1800 F. which By regulating the 11 f 92 and conducted to a hydrogen generating furnace or boiler, or they may be cooled, the H2O condensed, and then recirculated into the nues 62. The upper tuyres 68', which are connected to the manifold 95 are preferably used to introduce compressed air through all of the upper tuyre openings in sufficient amount to burn about one-third of the partially-spent gases and create an oxidizing zone to heat the lumps, or briquettes, to about 1800 F. or slightly higher.

This hot oxidizing atmosphere created at the upper tuyres at the top portion of the tower is very important in pretreating the materials charged into the tower before they are acted upon by the highly reducing gases entering the bottom of the tower. The hot oxidizing atmosphere decarbonates the limestone lumps, oxidizes carbonaceous material present, roasts or oxidizes the sulfides, drives off the water of crystallization, dries and ceramically fires the refractory coating on the briquettes or, lumps of rich ore and heats the ore and limestone lumps to operating temperatures.

In treating finely divided ores such as magnetite concentrate, according to my invention, the concentrate may be first charged with to of plastic red-burning clay into a ceramic brick auger machine with enough water to form a stiff mud, which may then be extruded from a drain tile die in the form of a tube and cut into short lengths. These lengths, with or without a refractory coating, are then charged into the tower with the limestone lumps and the process carried on as previously described.

In treating and reducing low grade ore such as taconite ore containing about iron, lumps of this low grade ore may be charged into the towers without limestone. At the bottom of the towers, the reduced lumps of ore would be removed and cooled below reoxidizing temperature, the cooled ore crushed and pulverized and the reduced iron removed by magnetic separation. The separated iron powder could then be mixed with oil or tar to a stiff mud and then charged with a small amount of limestone into the melting furnace.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to' be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful methods and constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled inthe art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. The method of smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, which includes the steps of partially burning hydrogen-rich fuel gas under pressure with insuihcient oxygen for complete combustion in a melting furnace to create a non-oxidizing atmosphere at melting temperature in said furnace, cooling and enrichingA the partially burned gases from said furnace in two stages first by endothermic reactions to about 2400" F. and second by dilution with reducing gases to produce a reducing gas mixture Without free carbon at a temperature of l500 F. to 1800 F., passing said gas mixture through a column of lumps of said ore to reduce the same, and passing said reduced ore directly into said melting furnacel while maintaining said reduced ore at a temperature of 1500 F. to 1800 F.

2. The method of smelting iron ores to produce molten metal of high purity, which includes the,

steps of partially burning hydrogen-rich fuel gas under pressure with insufcient oxygen for complete combustion in a melting furnace to create an atmosphere non-oxidizing to iron at melting temperature in said furnace, cooling and enriching the partially burned gases from said furnace in two stages first by endothermic reactions to about 2400" F. and second by dilution with reducing gases to produce a reducing gas mixture without free carbon at a temperature of 1500 F. to 1800 F., passing said gas mixture through a mixture of said iron ore with limestone to reduce and decarbonate the same, and passing said reduced iron ore and decarbonated limestone directly into said melting furnace while maintaining said reduced ore and decarbonated limestone at a temperature of 1500 F. to 1800 F.

3. The method of smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, which includes the steps of partially burning hydrogen-rich fuel gas under pressure with insufficient oxygen for complete combustion in a melting furnace to create a non-oxidizing atmosphere at melting temperatures in said furnace, cooling the partially burned gases from said furnace to about 2400 F. by adding hydrocarboncontaining fuel gas to cause endothermic reactions resulting in carbon monoxide and hydrogen, then further cooling the gases to 1500 F. to l800 F. by adding relatively cool reducing gas, passing the cooled gases through a mixture of said ore with limestone to reduce and decarbonate the same, and passing said reduced ore and decarbonated limestone directly into said melting furnace.

4. The method of smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, which includes the steps of partially burning hydrogen-rich fuel gas under pressure with insuicient oxygen for complete combustion in a melting furnace to create a non-oxidizing atmosphere at melting temperature in said furnace, cooling the partially burned gases from said furnace to about 2400" F. by adding hydrocarboncontaining fuel gas to cause endothermic reactions resulting in carbon monoxide and hydrogen, then further cooling the gases to 1500 F. to 1800 F. by adding relatively cool nitrogen, passing the cooled gases through a mixture of said ore with limestone to reduce and decarbonate the same, and passing said reduced ore and decarbonated limestone directly into said melting furnace.

5. The method of smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, which includes the steps of partially burning hydrogenrich fuel gas under pressure with insufcient oxygen for complete combustion in a melting furnace to create a non-oxidizing atmosphere at melting temperature in said furnace, cooling and enriching the partially burned gases from said furnace to about 2400 F. by adding hydrocarbon-containing fuel gas to cause endothermic reactions S13 resulting iin carbon smonoxideandihydrogen, -then further cooling .theigases to 51596 l.1to 1800o F. by addingirelativelycool:reducing gas'mixed `with nitrogen, `passing thecooled "ga-ses `through said 011e toreduce .the same, .and .passing said reduced ore directly into said meltinggfurnace.

y6. `In -amethod .of smelting:hydrogen-reducible ores ato :produce molten'metal of high purity, the steps of cooling partially-'burned hydrogen-rich gases from a `melting furnace `containing the reduced ores `to about 240W by adding hydrocarbon-contaiming` gasto cause endothermic reactionsresulting in carbonmonoxide and hydrogen, and then further cooling the gasestoa :temperature :of 15G0 2F. to l800 F. by adding relativelyycoolreducing gas.

.7. Ina-methodof smelting hydrogen-inducible ores to Aproduce molten metalof high purity, .the steps of Icooling partially-burned .hydrogen-rich gases .from a melting 'furnace containing thereduced `ores to about .2400o byaclding .hydrocarbon-containing gas to Ycause endothermic :reactions .resulting in Acarbon .monoxide and hydrogen, .and Vthen further .cooling the .gases ito a :temperature of 150G F. to .1800 F. 'by adding :relatively-.cool.nitrogen.

8. The mehtod .of ,smelting.hydrogen-reducible ores .to produce molten metal of high purity, whichincludes .thessteps of partially burning hydrogen-rich fuel gas under pressure with insufcientoxygen forlcomplete combustion ina meltingl `furnace to create :av non-oxidizing atmosphere at melting. 4temperature in said furnace, coolingand enriching the :partially burned gases frOmsaid furnace to .about 2460" F. by adding fr hydrocarbon-containing fuel gas .to cause endothermic `reactions resulting iin carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and adding a relatively cool reducinggas to produce .a reducing gas mixture `without .freecarbon ata temperature kof 1500 to 1800 F., :passing said gas :mixture upwardly throughacolumn of refractory coated lumps of saidcre .to .reduceithe same, .creatinganzoxidizing zone at ,a temperature .of about 1800.F. 'in the upper portion .of said column of lumps, and .passing :the hot reduced orerwith refractory coatings from the lower portion of said column directly into the melting. furnace.

9. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to producemoltenmetal of high purity, -including apressuremeltng furnace, walls forming `a `vertical roasting and reducing tower communicatingat its v.bottom endiwith said furnace, means for feeding hot material from the bottom end ofsaid tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases Vfrom vsaid furnace to said tower, apluralityof tuyeres inthe 'lower partof said tower wallsvandconnected with said flue for `dischar-ging .the combustion gases into said tower, means -for discharging cooling and enrichnggases into said flue, and a plurality of tuyresfin the upper part ofsaidtower walls for taking'oif partially-spent gases.

,19. .Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-inducible ores .toproduce .molten metalof highpurity, including .a Vpressure melting furnace, walls forming a Vertical roasting and reducing tower communicatingzat its bottom endv with said furnace, means for feeding. .hot `material from the bottom end of said tower directly into said furnace, a iiue for conducting combustion gases from said .furnace to said' towena plurality .of .tuyres'in the lower part of said'tower walls and connected with said nue for discharging the combustion gases into said tower, means for .discharging .cooling an'dlenrich'ing .gases into said flue, .a pluralityof tuyres .in the upper .part ofxsaidrtower :wallsifor .taking .off .partially-.spent gases, :and Ya .plurality oftuyres in saidztower wallsfabove .the partiallyspent gas Vtuyres for Vintroducing .ail-.for burning part of thepartially-spent'gases to createia roastingzone.

11. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores :to ,produce moltenlmetal ofhigh purity, including a `pressure lmelting furnace, walls forming .;a Vertical roasting and reducing tower .communcating at its .bottom end with lsaid furnace, feed screuy for feeding hot material `from ,the bottom end of .said tower directly into said furnace, aiiue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace .tofsaid Ltower, a `plurality of :tuyres in Athe lower .part -of said tower walls and connected with said flue for .discharging the cornbustier;` gases-into said towenmeans for discharging cooling and enriching gases into said flue, and a vplurality of -tuyres in the upper part .of said tower walls for taking off :partially-spent gases.V

12. .Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metalof highpurity, including a pressure melting furnace, Walls forming a Vertical roasting and reducing tower communicating at its bottom end with said furnace, `a feed screw for feeding .hot .material from lthe bottom end of vsaid tower'directly into said furnace, a ue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to said tower, a pluralityof tuyres in the lower ,part of `said tower walls-and connected with said flue for discharging the combustion gases into said tower, means for discharging cooling and enriching gases into said flue, a plurality of tuyeres in the uppenpart of said ltower walls for taking off partiallyspent gases, and a plurality of tuyres in :said tower walls above the partially-spent gas `tuyres for introducingair for burning part of the .partially-.spent gases to create a roasting zone.

.13. Apparatus for .smelting hydrogen-reducible yores to produce molten metal of high purity, .including a pressure meltingfurnace, walls forming a roasting and reducing chamber, means lfor feeding hot reduced .material from said chamber directly to said furnace, .affiuefor conducting combustion gases from isaid furnace into the discharging end of said chamber, `means for introducing .cooling and enriching'gases into said ue, said cooledfand enriched combustion gases acting Yto reduce ore in said chamber, and means for introducing air at the charging end of said chamber to burn part '.o'f thecombustion gases and roast the ore being charged therein.

14. Apparatus for `smelting hydrogen-:reducible ores to produce Amolten metal `of high purity, including a pressure melting furnace, walls forming a roasting and reducing chamber, means/for feeding hot reduced material from said -chamber directly -to said furnace, -a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace into the discharging end of -said chamber', means for introducing cooling .and enriching gases `into said flue, said cooled .and Ienriched combustion .gases .acting to reduce ore in said chamber, and means at the Vcharging end .of said chamber -causing vburning of part of the combustion `gases to create `an oxidizing zone.

.15. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducibleores to produce molten metal of highpurity, including walls forming 'a Vertical .roasting :and reducing tower, a plurality -of .tuyres in- .the

lower part of said tower walls for introducing gases into said tower, a pressure melting furnace, means for feeding hot reduced material from the bottom end of the tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to the tuyres in said tower, said furnace having a roof comprising laterally abutting rows of refractory blocks removably suspended on hollow water-cooled beams supported at their ends on the furnace walls, and said beams being located in a sealed chamber containing gas under pressure.

16. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, including walls forming a vertical roasting and reducing tower, a plurality of tuyres in the lower part of said tower walls for introducing gases into said tower, a pressure melting furnace, means for feeding hot reduced material from the bottom end of the tower directly into said furnace, a fiue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to the tuyres in said tower, said furnace having a roof comprising laterally abutting rows of refractory blocks removably suspended on hollow water-cooled beams supported at their ends on the furnace walls, said blocks having inner facings slidably keyed thereon of refractory material having high thermal shock resistance, and said beams being located in a sealed chamber containing gas under pressure.

17. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten material of high purity, including walls forming a vertical roasting and reducing tower, a plurality of tuyres in the lower part of said tower walls for introducing gases into said tower, a pressure melting furnace, means for feeding hot reduced material from the bottom end of the tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to the tuyres in said tower, said furnace having downwardly inclined burners extending through its walls for discharging combustion gases into the furnace, and each burner comprising an outer refractory tube carrying fuel gas and an inner axial tube carrying oxygen for mixing with the fuel gas before it issues from said outer tube.

18. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible-ores to produce molten metal of high purity, including walls forming a vertical roasting and reducing tower, a plurality of tuyres in the lower part of said tower walls for introducing gases into said tower, a pressure melting furnace, means for feeding hot reduced material from the bottom end of the tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to the tuyres in said tower, said furnace having downwardly inclined burners on opposite sides for discharging combustion gases into the furnace, each burner comprising an outer refractory tube and an inner axial tube perforated along its inner end portion, and means exterior of the furnace for introducing fuel gas into said outer tube and oxygen into the inner tube.

19. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, including a pressure melting furnace, walls forming a vertical roasting and reducing tower communicating at its bottom end with said furnace, means for feeding hot material from the bottom end of said tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to said tower, means for -16 discharging cooling and enriching gases Vinto said ue, an annular plenum chamber formed in the tower walls surrounding the lower end of tuyres in the tower walls providing communieating between said plenum chamber and the interior of said tower.

20. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, including a pressure melting furnace, walls forming a vertical roasting and reducing tower communicating at its bottom end with said furnace, means for feeding hot material from the bottom end of said tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to said tower, means for discharging cooling and enriching gases into said ue, an annular plenum chamber formed in the tower walls surrounding the lower end of the tower, a series of vertically spaced annular rows of tuyres in the tower walls providing communication between said plenum chamber and the interior of said tower, and a series of vertically spaced annular rows of openings in the upper part of said tower walls connected to an exterior manifold for taking off partially-spent gases.

21. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, including a pressure melting furnace, walls forming a vertical roasting and reducing tower communicating at its bottom end with said furnace, means for feeding hot material from the bottom end of said tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to said tower, means for discharging cooling and enriching gases into said nue, an annular plenum chamber formed in the tower walls surrounding the lower end of the tower, a series of vertically spaced annular rows of tuyres in the tower walls providing communication between said plenum chamber and the interior of said tower, a series of vertically spaced annular rows of openings in the upper part of said tower Walls connected to an exterior manifold for taking off partially-spent gases and a series of vertically spaced annular rows of tuyres above said partially-spent gas openings for introducing air into the tower for burning part of the partially-spent gases to create a roasting zone.

22. Apparatus for smelting hydrogen-reducible ores to produce molten metal of high purity, including walls forming a vertical roasting and reducing tower, a plurality of tuyres in the lower part of said tower Walls for introducing gases into said tower, a pressure melting furnace, means for feeding hot reduced material from the bottom end of the tower directly into said furnace, a flue for conducting combustion gases from said furnace to the tuyres in said tower, means for introducing cooling and enriching gases into said flue, said furnace having downwardly inclined openings in its walls containing refractory bubbler tubes extending into the melt, said bubbler tubes having refractory cores provided with longitudinal passageways extending therethrough for introducing gases into the melt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 791,928 Moore et al June 6, 1905 1,934,082 Moll et al. Nov. 7, 1933 2,107,980 Elian Feb. 8, 1938 2,577,730 Benedict et al. Dec. 11, 1951 2,580,614 Slottman Jan. 1, 1952' 

1. THE METHOD OF SMELTING HYDROGEN-REDUCIBLE ORES TO PRODUCE MOLTEN METAL OF HIGH PURITY, WHICH INCLUDES THE STEPS OF PARTIALLY BURNING HYDROGEN-RICH FUEL GAS UNDER PRESSURE WITH INSUFFICIENT OXYGEN FOR COMPLETE COMBUSTION IN A MELTING FURNACE TO CREATE A NON-OXIDIZING ATMOSPHERE AT MELTING TEMPERATURE IN SAID FURNACE. COOLING AND ENRICHING THE PARTIALLY BURNED GASES FROM SAID FURNACE IN TWO STAGES FIRST BY ENDOTHERMIC REACTIONS TO ABOUT 2400* F. AND SECOND BY DILUTION WITH REDUCING GASES TO PRODUCE A REDUCING GAS MIXTURE WITHOUT FREE CARBON AT A TEMPERATURE OF 1500* F. TO 1800* F., PASSING SAID GAS MIXTURE THROUGH A COLUMN OF LUMPS OF SAID ORE TO REDUCE THE SAME, AND PASSING SAID REDUCED ORE DIRECTLY INTO SAID MELTING FURNACE WHILE MAINTAINING SAID REDUCED ORE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 1500* F. TO 1800* F. 